Marine Debris Research Prevention and Reduction Act

MARINE DEBRIS RESEARCH PREVENTION AND REDUCTION ACT

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Mr. INOUYE. I rise today in support of S. 362, the Marine Debris Research, Prevention, and Reduction Act, legislation I introduced with Senator STEVENS, with the cosponsorship of Senators CANTWELL, SNOWE, LAUTENBERG, KERRY, SARBANES, AKAKA, and MURRAY.

This bill, which I am proud to say passed the Senate unanimously in the 108th Congress, focuses on one particular impact that goes unnoticed by many and has been largely ignored by the global community: marine debris. This problem is so important, and so pervasive, that it merited an entire chapter of the 2004 Report of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy.

While marine debris includes conventional ``trash,'' it also includes a vast array of additional materials that may find their way to sea, such as discarded or lost fishing gear, cargo washed overboard, and abandoned equipment from our commercial fleets. Marine debris is not only unsightly and dangerous to navigation, but it is also deadly to sea creatures, which may die entangled in a discarded fishing net or after ingesting plastic items such as lighters and toys.

While the problem is vast, it is also reversible when given sufficient emphasis, coordination, and funding. The bill being considered by the full Senate today aims to meet this challenge by adopting the measures recommended by both the Ocean Commission and the 2000 International Marine Debris Conference to help remove manmade marine debris from the list of ocean threats. The bill has strong support from the Bush administration, environmental groups, and others with an interest in the marine debris problem, including the Ocean Conservancy and the Northwest Straits Commission.

Specifically, our legislation would establish a Marine Debris Prevention and Removal Program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, direct the U.S. Coast Guard to improve enforcement of laws designed to prevent ship-based pollution from plastics and other garbage, reinvigorate an interagency committee on marine debris, and improve our research and information on marine debris sources, threats, and prevention. The bill would authorize $10 million in funding for the NOAA program, and $5 million in funding for the Coast Guard program. I am pleased to say that congressional action last year provided $5 million in appropriated funding to NOAA specifically toward this problem, and the Senate Appropriations Committee has recommended increasing this amount to $6.4 million in fiscal year 2006. We challenge the administration to likewise increase funding for this initiative in coming years.

In Hawaii, the impacts of marine debris are more visible because of the convergence caused by the North Pacific Tropical High. Atmospheric forces cause ocean surface currents to converge on Hawaii, bringing with them the vast amount of debris floating throughout the Pacific. Since 1996, a total of 484 tons of debris have been removed from coral reefs in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands, which is also home to many endangered marine species. In 2004 alone, the program removed over 125 tons of debris. However, because more debris arrives daily, the job is far from done.

I am pleased that the coordinated approach taken to address the threats posed by marine debris in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands has provided a model for the nation. We have learned that our best path to success lies in partnering with one another to share resources, and it is my hope that others may adapt our project to their own shores through the partnership and funding opportunities set forth in this bill.

We must also bear in mind that no matter how zealously we reform our practices, the ultimate solution lies in international cooperation. The oceans connect the coastal nations of the world, and we must work together to reduce this increasing threat to our seas and shores. The Marine Debris Research, Prevention, and Reduction Act will provide the United States with the tools to develop effective marine debris prevention and removal programs on a worldwide basis, including reporting and information requirements that will assist in the creation of an international marine debris database.

Mr. President, I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting enactment of the Marine Debris Research, Prevention, and Reduction Act. This bill will provide the United States with the programs and resources necessary to protect our most valuable resources , our oceans.

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